5 comments about Never Say Never Again (Collector's Edition).

1. I've always like Never Say Never Again, though I acknowledge its flaws. I liked that the movie doesn't take itself too seriously, and prefer that Bonds age was embraced rather than ignored. I liked the way the movie poked fun at the conventions of a bond movie while using them, and frankly loved seeing connery as bond again. While I won't pretend it was the trendsetter of goldfinger or thunderball (of which it was based), I was far more entertained with it than You only live twice. A very good movie.
   
   With the blu ray I wanted to point out that it looks vastly superior to the original released dvd, yet doesn't shine the way modern Blu-ray movies do, not that it is expected. I also rather enjoyed the special features, though wish sean connery himself was interviewed. Overall, I can't imagine a better way to enjoy this movie, and if your a bond fan at all, it should be in your collection. Recomended.



2. the movie is good itself, but the dvd quality is not. Maybe it is too old, needed to be remastered.



3. can't play it on my blu-ray player.says i need update which i cannot find on line.



4. Blu-Ray is new and in excellent shape. Very fast delivery. Awesome Seller. Will do business again.



5. I got this movie as a present for someone who LOVES Bond movies. He likes the movie, and I enjoyed it also. It's funny at times, there's action, and of course Sean Connery makes it (even though he is a little older). Overall, good buy, especially if you're looking to buy the large collections that they have, because this is the only older Bond movie that is not included in those DVD collections.

5 comments about Leviathan.

1. My friend Christian and I were sitting down and were thrilled to find Peter Weller, and crew underwater waiting to entertain us and boy did they.
   
   "This movie bears the halmarks of every cliche for a good bad sci fiction movie" Christian Mikkelson
   
   This brings to mind a couple of things you need to have before viewing this film.
   1. Tasty adult beverages in plenty.
   (hide the car keys honey were staying in tonite.)
   2. Triscuits ( we pefer garden herb)
   3. "Sandy Ducan"
   4. Lets just say cult film material all the way ( WE Are thinking about a convention for this one.)
   
   now onto reveiw Mission to Mars on cocktails.



2. I remember a long time ago seeing a commercial for this movie on the Sci-Fi Channel. It declared it to be "the greatest 'Alien' ripoff ever made." After seeing it, I have to admit that seems to be an unfair statement. Yes, there are many similarities between the two films, but if anything this film resembles Carpenter's "The Thing" more than "Alien." To be even more fair, "Alien" was hardly the first movie ever made involving characters plagued by a monster inside a close environment (sci-fi writer AE Van Vogt sued the makers of "Alien" for its similarities with his 1950's novel "Voyage of the Space Beagle").
   
   The plot involves a group of underwater miners encountering a sunken Russian vessel. After indulging in the preserved contents within, one of the crew begins to become sick, and soon his body takes on a series of strange symptoms, most notably his skin becoming loose and fish-like. After another crew member with similar symptoms kills herself, the two bodies morph together and suddenly latch out at those nearby. Eventually it is realized that the crew has discovered a genetic mutation created by the Soviet government, one that acts like a leech, growing from inside its victim and morphing into a fish-like creature that not only retains some of the looks of its former host, but its intelligence as well.
   
   The concept of the monster is well realized, and the idea of a monster that absorbs the intelligence and knowledge of its victim is interesting as well. The characters are not aggressively dumb like so many sci-fi characters are, and that allows the film to feel more enjoyable. The creature itself is rarely seen until the very end of the film - up until then it is either only seen in shadows or various parts of it (tentacles, arms, etc) pop out from the wall or ground. It's very well done, and keeps some level of horror and suspense up to the very end. I have to also add the music, done by Jerry Goldsmith, is outstanding, and helps the film stand out.
   
   "Leviathan" is not entirely perfect, but neither is it incredibly bad. Even if it's not a classic, it's worth a one-time viewing for some sci-fi/horror fun. If you like weird creatures and decent suspense, give it a try.



3. What was it about 1989 and undersea movies? It seems like we got hit with a plethora of undersea action/horror flicks that year, "Deep Star Six", "Leviathan" and "The Abyss" among a handful of others.
   
   "Deep Star Six" was the B-movie of the bunch, with low budget special effects and b-list actors like "BJ and the Bear" star Greg Evigan and pop music one-hit wonder Nia Peebles thrown in for eye candy. The great thing about "Deep Star Six" was that despite it's minimal budget, it packed a ton of action and suspense into it's 90 minute running time.
   
   "Leviathan" was it's big studio counerpart. The film had a bigger budget, a better cast led by "Robocop" star Peter Weller and Richard Crenna fresh off the set from the latest "Rambo" flick. The effects are handled by Academy Award winner Stan Winston. Basically all of the pieces are in place for a fun action/horror flick. But for some reason it just doesn't come together as well as it should.
   
   The basic premise behind "Leviathan" is that a deep sea mining operation discovers a sunken Russian ship. After reviewing the Russain captain's video log to try and decipher what happened, strange things being to happen in the mining crew's underwater habitat. Could the same thing which caused the death of the Russian crew be happening to the miners?
   
   I'm not sure why "Leviathan" fails where "Deep Star Six" succeeds? Maybe it's because, while the cast is good, they really aren't given much to work with here. You get the same basic stereotypes found in almost every horror film, and it feels like a retread of "Alien". To top it off, the "monster" just isn't very frightening. The molten collection of body parts just doesn't seem terribly mobile. The turgid creature does little to inspire fear, and you get the feeling that if the characters used any intelligence at all, they would simply walk quickly away from the beastie, and close the door behind them to eliminate a majority of the threat. No matter what the cause, "Leviathan" while enjoyable, seems like a pale imitation of "Deep Star Six", when it clearly should have been the other way round.



4. What is it about undersea thrillers and sci-fi movies? From the classic "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" to the early 1960s TV series "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" to James Cameron's "The Abyss" to "Sphere," where even Michael Crichton got into the act with a movie based on his novel, movies of marine mayhem seem to be here to stay. And one of the Star Wars sequels (can't recall which, at this point, but it might have been "Attack of the Clones") had an underwater city sequence. Even Disney had a go at it with "The Little Mermaid" (although technically not sci-fi).
   
   Coming on the heels of the original "Alien," this movie is almost completely derivative except for the underwater setting--complete with the crew hunting the creature with flame throwers through the corridors of the undersea mining station and habitat. Even the sea floor habitat is a mining station, just like the Nostomo mining ship in "Alien." LOL.
   
   Still, the movie has its moments, and with a more than competent cast, which includes Meg Foster, Ernie Hudson, Richard Crenna, Peter Weller, and Hector Elizondo, a serviceable script, a convincingly creepy sea monster, and a spectacular underwater mining habitat, it's not a bad movie. Still, there's probably very little here that wasn't done already in the original "Alien." But if you didn't get your fix in that movie and want more, this movie might provide you with some more chills and thrills at the bottom of the sea.
   
   By the way, just a side note here. This is one of two undersea thrillers Richard Crenna has starred in. He also played the professor in the 1996 remake of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. And while not nearly in the same class as the original movie, Crenna is always good in whatever he does.



5. 'Leviathan' is one of those creature flicks I could watch over and over! This movie was GOLD for me when I was little haha. It still is gold to me and has a special place in my heart simply because its one of the very first creature flicks that truly captured my imagination as a kid. I'd get in trouble in school for wanting to always draw this creature during class lol! I will always LOVE Stan Winston's artwork/designs on many great creatures seen in dozens of flicks. May he rest in piece now; wish I had a chance to meet this fine artist. What's not to love about 'Leviathan'??? It has people mutating into each other and becoming one large, mean, nasty sea creature!!! Truly one of my favorites!

5 comments about Along Came Polly (Full Screen Edition).

1. I purchased this movie because I saw part of it on TV and found it entertaining. Especially Philip Seymour Hoffman who was just so funny. He is an outstanding actor in this and other films.Along Came Polly (Widescreen Edition)



2. Along Came Polly: 4 out of 10: Welcome to Dharma and Greg the movie. It is a film where some stupendously unoriginal ideas clutter the screenplay, while Ben Stiller goes into the Farrelly brothers armoire once too often in a desperate search for a laugh.
   
   
   As an example, blind sweater wearing ferrets are not funny. Nor are they terribly cute for that matter and wonders what ganja toking screenwriter would think so. (John Hamburg it turns out. He actually penned the much funnier Zoolander as well as classic Meet the Parents. So he may be a victim of Executive Meddling)
   
   
   Strangely out of place is the bathroom humor. It is not funny at all and kills the romantic plot. The most egregious example is when Stiller uses a decorative bath towel, instead of toilet paper, on a first date with Jennifer Aniston. The fact that they have a second date pushes this movie into the realm of science fiction. I have known woman to end a ten-year marriage for less.
   
   
   Some ideas were funny on their own (Philip Seymour Hoffman's child actor character), but not nearly enough are done with them; and we are quickly back to the tedium of Dharma and Greg ,um excuse me, Stiller and Aniston. In reality if it was not for Hoffman, as well as Alec Baldwin's Jewish boss character, and Bryan Brown's Australian eccentric, there would not have been a laugh during the entire film.
   
   
   It is sad when you are wishing the leads would leave the screen so we can get back to the funny stuff; (Though, as an off-topic aside, Anniston does look quite sexy in her PG-13 sex scene.)
   
   
   If you do come across the DVD of this movie, be sure to watch Debra Messing's rap song located in the deleted scenes. It was cut for being out of tone with the rest of the film. I was too funny... seriously.



3. This bit of comedic fluff I've seen a few times in bits and pieces. Ben Stiller plays Rueben who is a risk assessment insurance guy, who just had a Jewish wedding with Lisa. But on their honeymoon she bangs the skindiver instructor, Claude. After some hippo jokes and bathroom humor, you learn of his crush with the Jennifer Aniston character, who is no not into him. He wants to change and forces himself to fit her mold, which I found distastful. Alec Baldwin was funny as the overacting boss.
   
   Then his wife Lisa wants to get back together and she looks like she's sincere in wanting forgiveness, but he can't and dumps her anyway, even though Polly is nowhere in his league. Personally I would have went back to Lisa. As one character says, it's not about what's happening in life, it's just enjoying the ride.
   
   Oddball, a few laughs, but really don't waste your time.
   
   Stiller Stinkers & Praisers include:
   
   Tropic Thunder (Unrated Director's Cut)
   Meet the Parents
   Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)



4. This dvd came in a movie jacket instead of in the actual case which just leads me to believe that it was stolen. It was a cheap movie, but I expected to get the case it came in. Very cheap of the seller to ship a dvd without any protection from the case. I was not impressed.



5. This is one of the best comedy's ever, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Alec Baldwin are so funny in this. Plus I think that Ben Stiller's character is great he is just trying to make the best of a crummy situation and does that and luckily has wonderful people in his life that care about him. My boyfriend and I love this movie because it's hilarious and at the end he loves the part when Ben Stiller meets up with the scuba instructor again and actually thanks him for everything because he did him a favor by helping to reveal his cheating wife's true nature and allowing him to go on with his life for the better.So not only a hilarious comedy but very heartwarming as well.

5 comments about The Big Blue (Director's Cut).

1. Big Blue is a joy to watch. The scenery, on land or in the sea is beautiful. The acting is very good. The movie is humorous and mellow. There is a spiritual theme that unfolds towards the end of the movie, but I will not be specific lest I spoil it for others to uncover.



2. I watched this movie back in the 80s, when I used to work in a video store, because I love dolphins and saw one on the cover. It's definately different, but in a good way. It is slow in a few spots, but overall a good movie. I normally can't stand Rosanna Arquette, but can watch this movie over and over again because of the story and great scenery/photography. Also, Jean Reno is always good as a villain and it's great to see him before he became known in the States.



3. This movie is baaaaaad but loooooooooooooong...
   
   Talk about a Giant Sucking Sound!
   
   Sure, it's got beautiful scenery and lush cinematography, plus two very likable stars (three, if you count Griffin Dunne doing a bit role). But that doesn't ammount to much when the movie lacks a credible screenplay, and what poses as such is full of unnerving clichés and stereotypes that sink the entire thing deeper than the main character on a quest for the Titanic!
   
   Rossanna Arquette plays the dopey American blonde in love with the ultimate "cold fish", a dreamy French American effete whose only desire in life is to become a dolphin and swim away for all eternity (eventually he does, thank God, but you'll have to spend a great deal of yours to get to that particular scene). Jean Reno plays the (stereo)typical Italian bachelor (obnoxious mother in black included) in a "boastful performance" most humble moviegoers would describe as plain overacting. Even Dunne is given lousy lines the few seconds he's in -something like "You deliberately lied to me, embezzled the company's money, and should go to jail this very instant if I'm not to lose my own job as well. But never mind all that; tell me: is this love for real?".
   
   No kidding: there's an old uncle who dives in a bathtub, a bipolar dolphin who feels out-of-water, and an aquarium where you can break in and walk away with whatever you please without a care in the world. There's daddy dying on cue, mamma frowning on spaghetti -although she cooks lots of it in hotel bedrooms- and Honey getting pregnant and abandoned (tears and all) in a -literally- fishy finale. And there's this guy who grew in an impoverished idyllic Greek vilage, doesn't have a job, doesn't own a suit, and yet stays at the Nice Carlton and lives in a posh apartment. But mostly there's me, the bemused-confused audience, wondering why this pretentious deadweight is hailed as a cult film, when it should be shelved in the far off corners of the Hallmark Channel where it belongs!
   
   P.S.: As any licensed diver can tell you, these guys are fakes! The first and foremost rule in diving is SAFETY. That is, if someone tells you something is not safe, or seems not safe, or may not be safe, or lurks in the vicinity of perhaps not safe, YOU DON'T DO IT, PERIOD! To show otherwise is like showing cops goofing around with a loaded weapon. Whatever one may think about them, professionals is not likely to be on the list. And one is to believe these hotshot divers are pros, let alone World Champions, when hey routinely ignore every warning they're given? Please..!



4. I saw this movie years ago and i just re-discovered it on netflix. I don't remember how the American version was, but don't bother, there is no need to see that version when you have such a beautiful version in the director's cut. The movie is long (almost three hours), but it's definitely worth it. The beautiful water sequences with the dolphins. Jean Reno is so funny as Endo and i just think Jean-Marc Barr is beautiful and so fascinating as Jacques. I am not a big Rosanna Arquette fan, but i definitely liked her in this movie. I loved Eric Serra's music, i think it just brought it all together. It's just a shame that there aren't enough people who really like this movie. And at the end, right before it fades to black. I think the dolphin is pulling Jacques back up to the surface. At least, that's what i hope, the movie made me cry, it was definitely better than i remembered.



5. There are three versions of this movie out & I've seen them all. Each one left me with a different take on the show. Not bad considering it's basically the same story & with the same stars. The Director's cut 168 min's, the French release 132 min's & the American release 118 min's.
   
   Its a show done around the world free diving championships (meaning no air tanks but your lungs). I thought it would bore me but discovered that Jean Marc-Barr, Jean Reno & Rosanna Arquette (I like her) put together a fun, quirky & believeable show. Marc-Barr plays Jacques Mayol who starts the show as a little French kid that likes to dive on the same island as Enzo played by Reno. Mayol's father is a sponge diver that dies picking sponges. It has an impact on young Jacques. Fast forward 15 - 20 years & Enzo is the worlds best free diver. He is not content however as his old competitor Jacques is not in sight.
   
   We find Jacques diving for the sake of science in the Andes mountains. The scientific expedition has had an accident that requires the insurance company to send a rep down to investigate. Thats Arquettes entrance as Johana Baker a quirky fun lady. She is immediately smitten with Jacques & that begins the rest of the show that revolves around the three of them & the dolphins Jacques admires. Jacques gets involved in Free diving because Enzo has him located & big Enzo who must be first in all things believes he will successfully romance Johana. The competition for Johana & the free diving world record begins. It plays much better than it reads with interesting looks at the world of diving as a sport, as a living, as fun & as science. The world of human relationships isn't left out. The love story is from as slightly unusual aspect due to Mayol's character.
   
   The american ending differs from the others but that didn't upset me. It wasn't that big a thing & I'm not big on the integrity of a storyline as I believe the rash of director cuts are more tied to ego than integrity. Their validity or necessity surely isn't much.
   
   The Directors cut I thought a travesty of time waste so many of its scenes really served no purpose. The French version was a much better length but I thought it suffered from having the same score as the Director's cut. Done by Eric Serra (the original composer) I felt the music was unrelated to the subject of the movie. The American version was cut a little short but had a new score done by Bill Conti. That score was perfectly suited to the water theme & as the music is a large part of your experience I prefer it by alot. The American ending is over dramatic but I'll put up with that for the change in music. I really like this show & when it comes to mind I always hear the American score not the original. Sometimes change is good as they say. I feel you should watch both the French & the American version. The Director's is just not good film.
   
   I give the Director' 2 1/2 Stars. The French 4 Stars. The American 5 Stars.
   I'm rating all three versions together as 4 Stars. Take a look!

5 comments about The Deep [Blu-ray].

1. Save your money on this one. Not the complete version! Just buy the standard DVD and it should be almost as good when up-converted on your BD player. They did not use DNS and the picture has a soft grainy effect lacking detail but not a waxy look many don't like. I did however forget how boring this movie was since it drags on and on. If your into Jacqueline Bisset's famous wet t-shirt scene then this is a keeper.



2. Enjoyed the movie, brings back memories of times gone by. Good sound and video.



3. I know they now have the Blu Ray version that has the documentary in it, perhaps the one I saw back when it came out on TV to promote the film but this DVD version does not. It has both pan and scan and widescreen but this version is missing two bits of film from the VHS version that I remember. When Treece finds his buddy Kevin he puts his coat over the body and then hugs him which is touching. Later in the underwater climax Nolte uses the suction device's exaust to stun the big black henchman dude to escape but the full scene is missing just like the hugging scene.
   This movie needs a full blown remaster to fix everything I would guess but the sales are not there to warrant the money it would take I would imagine.
   I also read that there is an extended version that was shown on TV years ago. That should be done as well and I would buy it for sure because I love this movie.
   I bought the VHS and two DVD's so far plus I saw the film in the theatre.



4. "The Deep" was one of the reasons I started diving back in the 80's. Since then I have bought this movie in VHS, DVD and now Blu-Ray. The Dlu-Ray edition is worth the price, with an amazing image quality and nice extras. A must for anyone who loves diving, adventure or Jaqueline Bisset...



5. It is a good product but the disc needed some stamping or label on it but the Amazon service was top rate.Many THanks.

5 comments about The Deep.

1. Save your money on this one. Not the complete version! Just buy the standard DVD and it should be almost as good when up-converted on your BD player. They did not use DNS and the picture has a soft grainy effect lacking detail but not a waxy look many don't like. I did however forget how boring this movie was since it drags on and on. If your into Jacqueline Bisset's famous wet t-shirt scene then this is a keeper.



2. Enjoyed the movie, brings back memories of times gone by. Good sound and video.



3. I know they now have the Blu Ray version that has the documentary in it, perhaps the one I saw back when it came out on TV to promote the film but this DVD version does not. It has both pan and scan and widescreen but this version is missing two bits of film from the VHS version that I remember. When Treece finds his buddy Kevin he puts his coat over the body and then hugs him which is touching. Later in the underwater climax Nolte uses the suction device's exaust to stun the big black henchman dude to escape but the full scene is missing just like the hugging scene.
   This movie needs a full blown remaster to fix everything I would guess but the sales are not there to warrant the money it would take I would imagine.
   I also read that there is an extended version that was shown on TV years ago. That should be done as well and I would buy it for sure because I love this movie.
   I bought the VHS and two DVD's so far plus I saw the film in the theatre.



4. "The Deep" was one of the reasons I started diving back in the 80's. Since then I have bought this movie in VHS, DVD and now Blu-Ray. The Dlu-Ray edition is worth the price, with an amazing image quality and nice extras. A must for anyone who loves diving, adventure or Jaqueline Bisset...



5. It is a good product but the disc needed some stamping or label on it but the Amazon service was top rate.Many THanks.

5 comments about Thunderball.

1. Thunderball
   
   This is the fourth film in a series that offers the best action / adventure plots. The James Bond movies surfaced a world of espionage, gadgets, secret weapons, beautiful women and amazing cars. As with the first three, the success of Sean Connery continued to enchant audiences the world over, creating an image so powerful that still to today, it is debated that he offered the best Bond character.
   
   By now, we were riveted on the Bond films from the very start. The introduction was becoming one of the best parts of the movie, offering gorgeous female silhouettes as Bond walked across stage demonstrating his marksmanship.
   
   For those of us who are fans of Tom Jones, this became the best film for the theme song is performed by him. Back in 1965, Tom Jones offered great appeal as the star with a powerful voice who wore tight pants, billowing shirts with wide collars and who was considered a sex symbol by admirers.
   
   The song written by Don Black was a tremendous hit and the lyrics reaffirmed our perception of James Bond as the Secret Service Agent who ran while others walked, acted while others talked, wanted it all... so he stroke like Thunderball! Yes, for us Bond knew the meaning of success, calling him the winner who takes all, breaking any heart without regret while his fight goes on and on because he thinks the fight is worth it all!
   
   The movie starts with James Bond at a funeral of SPECTRE agent No. 6. Bond follows his widow and we are soon shocked to find out that it is a man disguised as the widow, who in actuality is No. 6, Jacques Bouvar attempting to cover his identity to get away with killing two British agents.
   
   Thunderball brings us a Bond on a mission to find two NATO nuclear bombs that were taken away by members of SPECTRE. The nuclear bombs are on a plane and SPECTRE has hired a man who has an operation to look identical to the real pilot, who is killed and replaced by the impersonator. The plane is on a training flight but the impersonator pilot gasses the rest of the crew then flying the plane to the Bahamas where he submerges the plane to be camouflaged to prevent detection.
   
   The pilot had been engaged and promised a certain payment for his services but he reconsiders and asks for a lot more because of the pain and suffering he has undergone to look, speak, and act like the original pilot. Because of his attempt to extort more from the organization, it is now his turn to get killed by Emilio Largo, superbly played by Adolfo Celi, who is none other than Agent #2 at SPECTRE [Special Executive for Counter Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion].
   
   Largo and his men take possession of the atomic bombs under water and these scenes are magnificent for they offer something audiences the world over had not yet seen, underwater opening hatches, scuba divers and underwater weapons, machinery and tools that inspired many to take on new hobbies and see an underworld filled with possibilities.
   
   Bond is sent to the Bahamas where he partners with Largo's mistress, Domino, beautifully played by Claudine Anger, who is the original pilot's sister and wants revenge for her brother's death.
   
   When Bond and Largo finally meet, they sense in each other a dangerous enemy and the fun begins for these two initiate a psychological game to draw each other out.
   
   Another SPECTRE agent, Fiona Volve, played by Luciana Paluzzi, is after Bond. The magic and fun of the Bahamas is introduced as Bond tries to escape from Volpe and we become part of the famous street parade known as Junkanoo or local carnival celebration. During Junkanoo, thousands of men and women unite under the banner of differing groups to produce beautiful costumes, music and dance, so it becomes easy for Bond to mingle in the crowd but because he was shot and is bleeding, the blood hounds after him are able to closely follow.
   
   Bond and Felix Leiter, this time played by Rik Van Nutter continue to search for the plane by helicopter because Bond needs to understand if the weapons are still on board or if they have been taken and after days of searching the waters they find the Vulcan and Bond finds the crew corpses and the pilot's. Bond takes the personal items belonging to the impersonating pilot to later give these to Domino to let her know of her brother's death.
   
   Much action ensues and the underwater battle between Bond, a unit of the United States Coast Guard and Largo's men is simply filming at its best. As usual, Bond saves the day and like Thunderball we are now forever fans of Bond, James Bond! Thunderball is and shall remain one of the best Bond films, don't miss it!



2. Thunderball is one of our favoite James Bond movies, and this "ultimate edition" gives us a lot to look at. Thanks to the CD format, we now have all of the Bond movies, and we enjoy watching them again and again



3. I wanted to watch the original early films of Bond, beginning with Dr. No. It's great to see Sean Connery evolve from film to film to become, I feel, the best Bond there ever was. I'm progressing in order from Dr. No, to From Russia with love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You only live twice, Diamonds are forever, and the later semi-Bond "Never say Never again". I know many fans of Bond dislike the last film Connery did, but perhaps they were expecting too much from a then, pretty weathered, franchise. I still have to watch the final two Connery films and am not expecting too much from "Diamonds" and even less from "Never". But that doesn't take away from the talent and artistry of Sean Connery and I'm more into those last films to simply watch how he slowly bows out of the James Bond role forever. It's sad film history to watch sometimes, but I'd rather watch these first Bond films again and again than to tolerate the works of Roger Moore and the others. Daniel Craig is a fresh approach to the role, but he lacks the warmth and humor that Connery brought to the role. I'd love to see one final film where Sean Connery has taken over the position of "M" and guides newer agents along, making them the best they could be. Sort of like an episode of "NCIS", I know, but it would be entertaining to see, none-the-less.



4. Since being a S.Connery fan, I would probably purchase just about anything this artist performed. He brings his characters to life especially his Bond character with lady villains. Even though he is prompted to do his portrayal, he signifies great expertise in entertaining the product to the public.



5. A Ball Of Thunder...
   
   The porno industry would have been in uproar had Balls Of Thunder been the actual title. 1965 and for the fourth year in a row another Bond film hits the screens, again directed by Terence Young, the original Bond director. The Bond franchise had turned into a phenomenon, thanks to Goldfinger, making this one of the most eagerly anticipated movies of the year. It starts in a small way with Thunderball that Bond starts to transcend it's own boundaries of story and earthiness becoming more fantasy than spy thriller, living up the expectations of being a bigger and bolder movie than it's predecessor and to stand out against the number of imitator spy films popping up, in doing so it loses a little of it's soul. Terence Young's direction at least steers this adventure with the right look and feel maintained from the first few films. But it does suffer story and character wise trying to top previous entries. The bigger budget is obvious, there are more gadgets, girls and exotic locations than before and Sean Connery is still in his element with a nice enhancing hairpiece as his was starting to thin down by this picture and whose wouldn't when being pursued by paparazzi twenty four seven? Bond is ever more the womaniser, drinker and quipper although perhaps notable predicting the future this is the first film where we don't see the character smoke on screen. Plus the simple blockbuster plot groundwork is cemented for the series in this film. SPECTRE return with their most audacious plot, hijacking two atomic bombs and holding the world to a billion dollar diamond ransom or two Western cities will be destroyed. A similar plot would crop up again in future Bond pictures, even to Thunderball itself being remade as 80's Connery Bond `Never Say Never Again'. Good to see this is where the storyline originated. Italian actor Adolfo Celi plays the brutish, silver haired, eye patch wearing Number two of Spectre, Emilio Largo surrounded by a bevy of assassins a standout of which is Luciana Paluzzi playing Bond femme fatale, Fiona Vulpe, one of four woman Bond beds down as he lurches from one action set piece to another. Bond is numerically getting closer to Number 1, who is still frustratingly shown as a cat patting silhouette dishing out orders and frying the minions who have failed him, shades of Dr. Evil in years to come. However the simple plot is made up for with the rocket like pace for a film made in '65. Though it does drag a bit with the amount of underwater sequences the jet fighter hijacking and underwater theft being the most obvious. As far as the underwater photography goes though, the cinematographer, Lamar Boren, strikes gold with the clarity of these aquatic shots choreographed by Ricou Browning especially with Bond's underwater searches of Largo's yacht and the brutal underwater fight scene between the good guys and Spectre which benefits a lot from the crystal clear remastering and transfer to DVD. This Bond entry leaves no room for subtle brush strokes as he tracks down the dead pilot's sister froma Health farm in England to the Bahamas. `Domino' or Dominique is played by Claudine Auger, a former Miss France who is a passable Bond girl and it's here through no fault of hers Bond girls really begin to become bland in character. Bond and Largo play a game of cat and mouse totally lacking the finesse of encounters with previous Bond villains. Q makes his first appearance in the field to give out some gimmicky gadgets and Rick Van Nutter plays the third version of Felix Leiter. There's little doubt of the film's outcome about the only drama being when Bond suffers a minor bullet wound during a mid movie chase scene. More drama was happening leading to the film's prodcution, including the plagiarism court case surrounding the novel and screenplay initiated by Kevin McCLory against creator Ian Fleming which led to the former being given an on screen Producer credit. But despite this and the increasingly strained relationship between Connery and the press as fame overtook him, the film won an Academy Award for visual effects and adjusted for the 2010 box office is still the most financially successful Bond entry ever made. But as the pre credits sequence complete with massive fistfight and rocket pack shows the franchise was starting to head into the realms of absolute spy fantasy rather than spy thriller. However the DVD release covers the Thunderball phenomenon in a documentary and its impact on the way action films were heading and how the spy culture was creating many imitators on both film and television from films such as In Like Flint and The Ipcress File to Get Smart, The Avengers and the Man From U.N.C.L.E. Not only is this the cleanest looking remaster of 60's Bond's it's also the first that got the 5.1 surround sound treatment in it's first release, not that the powerful Tom Jones opening song needs that. Titbit - this is the first film to feature Connery in the famed gun barrel opening sequence, previously it was stuntman Bob Simmons in his hat.

5 comments about Along Came Polly (Widescreen Edition).

1. I purchased this movie because I saw part of it on TV and found it entertaining. Especially Philip Seymour Hoffman who was just so funny. He is an outstanding actor in this and other films.Along Came Polly (Widescreen Edition)



2. Along Came Polly: 4 out of 10: Welcome to Dharma and Greg the movie. It is a film where some stupendously unoriginal ideas clutter the screenplay, while Ben Stiller goes into the Farrelly brothers armoire once too often in a desperate search for a laugh.
   
   
   As an example, blind sweater wearing ferrets are not funny. Nor are they terribly cute for that matter and wonders what ganja toking screenwriter would think so. (John Hamburg it turns out. He actually penned the much funnier Zoolander as well as classic Meet the Parents. So he may be a victim of Executive Meddling)
   
   
   Strangely out of place is the bathroom humor. It is not funny at all and kills the romantic plot. The most egregious example is when Stiller uses a decorative bath towel, instead of toilet paper, on a first date with Jennifer Aniston. The fact that they have a second date pushes this movie into the realm of science fiction. I have known woman to end a ten-year marriage for less.
   
   
   Some ideas were funny on their own (Philip Seymour Hoffman's child actor character), but not nearly enough are done with them; and we are quickly back to the tedium of Dharma and Greg ,um excuse me, Stiller and Aniston. In reality if it was not for Hoffman, as well as Alec Baldwin's Jewish boss character, and Bryan Brown's Australian eccentric, there would not have been a laugh during the entire film.
   
   
   It is sad when you are wishing the leads would leave the screen so we can get back to the funny stuff; (Though, as an off-topic aside, Anniston does look quite sexy in her PG-13 sex scene.)
   
   
   If you do come across the DVD of this movie, be sure to watch Debra Messing's rap song located in the deleted scenes. It was cut for being out of tone with the rest of the film. I was too funny... seriously.



3. This bit of comedic fluff I've seen a few times in bits and pieces. Ben Stiller plays Rueben who is a risk assessment insurance guy, who just had a Jewish wedding with Lisa. But on their honeymoon she bangs the skindiver instructor, Claude. After some hippo jokes and bathroom humor, you learn of his crush with the Jennifer Aniston character, who is no not into him. He wants to change and forces himself to fit her mold, which I found distastful. Alec Baldwin was funny as the overacting boss.
   
   Then his wife Lisa wants to get back together and she looks like she's sincere in wanting forgiveness, but he can't and dumps her anyway, even though Polly is nowhere in his league. Personally I would have went back to Lisa. As one character says, it's not about what's happening in life, it's just enjoying the ride.
   
   Oddball, a few laughs, but really don't waste your time.
   
   Stiller Stinkers & Praisers include:
   
   Tropic Thunder (Unrated Director's Cut)
   Meet the Parents
   Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)



4. This dvd came in a movie jacket instead of in the actual case which just leads me to believe that it was stolen. It was a cheap movie, but I expected to get the case it came in. Very cheap of the seller to ship a dvd without any protection from the case. I was not impressed.



5. This is one of the best comedy's ever, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Alec Baldwin are so funny in this. Plus I think that Ben Stiller's character is great he is just trying to make the best of a crummy situation and does that and luckily has wonderful people in his life that care about him. My boyfriend and I love this movie because it's hilarious and at the end he loves the part when Ben Stiller meets up with the scuba instructor again and actually thanks him for everything because he did him a favor by helping to reveal his cheating wife's true nature and allowing him to go on with his life for the better.So not only a hilarious comedy but very heartwarming as well.

5 comments about Never Say Never Again.

1. I've always like Never Say Never Again, though I acknowledge its flaws. I liked that the movie doesn't take itself too seriously, and prefer that Bonds age was embraced rather than ignored. I liked the way the movie poked fun at the conventions of a bond movie while using them, and frankly loved seeing connery as bond again. While I won't pretend it was the trendsetter of goldfinger or thunderball (of which it was based), I was far more entertained with it than You only live twice. A very good movie.
   
   With the blu ray I wanted to point out that it looks vastly superior to the original released dvd, yet doesn't shine the way modern Blu-ray movies do, not that it is expected. I also rather enjoyed the special features, though wish sean connery himself was interviewed. Overall, I can't imagine a better way to enjoy this movie, and if your a bond fan at all, it should be in your collection. Recomended.



2. the movie is good itself, but the dvd quality is not. Maybe it is too old, needed to be remastered.



3. can't play it on my blu-ray player.says i need update which i cannot find on line.



4. Blu-Ray is new and in excellent shape. Very fast delivery. Awesome Seller. Will do business again.



5. I got this movie as a present for someone who LOVES Bond movies. He likes the movie, and I enjoyed it also. It's funny at times, there's action, and of course Sean Connery makes it (even though he is a little older). Overall, good buy, especially if you're looking to buy the large collections that they have, because this is the only older Bond movie that is not included in those DVD collections.

5 comments about Never Say Never Again [Blu-ray].

1. I've always like Never Say Never Again, though I acknowledge its flaws. I liked that the movie doesn't take itself too seriously, and prefer that Bonds age was embraced rather than ignored. I liked the way the movie poked fun at the conventions of a bond movie while using them, and frankly loved seeing connery as bond again. While I won't pretend it was the trendsetter of goldfinger or thunderball (of which it was based), I was far more entertained with it than You only live twice. A very good movie.
   
   With the blu ray I wanted to point out that it looks vastly superior to the original released dvd, yet doesn't shine the way modern Blu-ray movies do, not that it is expected. I also rather enjoyed the special features, though wish sean connery himself was interviewed. Overall, I can't imagine a better way to enjoy this movie, and if your a bond fan at all, it should be in your collection. Recomended.



2. the movie is good itself, but the dvd quality is not. Maybe it is too old, needed to be remastered.



3. can't play it on my blu-ray player.says i need update which i cannot find on line.



4. Blu-Ray is new and in excellent shape. Very fast delivery. Awesome Seller. Will do business again.



5. I got this movie as a present for someone who LOVES Bond movies. He likes the movie, and I enjoyed it also. It's funny at times, there's action, and of course Sean Connery makes it (even though he is a little older). Overall, good buy, especially if you're looking to buy the large collections that they have, because this is the only older Bond movie that is not included in those DVD collections.